Joseph Rowntree Foundation launches child poverty policy reports

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has brought out a series of reports focusing on key policy areas relevant to the 2020 target of eradicating UK child poverty. The reports show progress over the last few years and each policy's likely contribution to the overall goal, as well as possible alternatives.

A round-up by Donald Hirsch - draws on the reports to examine the impact of current policy and suggest what is needed to ensure the target is met. It highlights:

• the scale of action needed to make further progress towards eradication
• the importance of improving the incomes of parents out of work and the earnings of those already working
• the need for a step change in four policy areas: childcare; job flexibility and quality; parents' skills; and benefits and tax credits.

The reports cover the following areas:

1. Can work eradicate child poverty?
   Dave Simmonds and Paul Bivand (Inclusion) consider how far policies to get more people into work can contribute to further reductions in child poverty.
2. Tackling child poverty when parents cannot work
   Martin Evans and Lewis Williams (Oxford University) look at how policy currently responds when parents are unable to work and examine ways of improving this. These include improved maternity provision for low earners and better smoothing of income for short periods out of work
3. Addressing in-work poverty
   Peter Kenway (New Policy Institute) considers how to respond to the major problem of families living in poverty despite parents working, and the reasons behind the lack of progress in this area.
4. Childcare and child poverty
   Jane Waldfogel (Columbia University) and Alison Garnham (Daycare Trust) look at the contribution that further improvements in childcare can make to meeting poverty targets.
5. Parental qualifications and child poverty in 2020
   Andy Dickerson and Jo Lindley (University of Sheffield) examine the contribution to reducing child poverty that could potentially be made by improved skills and qualifications.
6. Ending severe child poverty
   Jason Strelitz (Save the Children) looks at the situation of families in severe poverty and the ways policy could better respond to them. The report explores issues including government targets, access to services and take up of financial support.
7. The effects of discrimination on families in the fight to end child poverty
   Matt Davies (ATD Fourth World) worked with parents experiencing poverty and looks at the barriers to equal access to economic and social rights caused by discrimination.